Bipolar components, such as IGBTs, bipolar transistors, diodes, or thyristors, include two complementarily doped emitters and at least one base region that is lower doped than the emitters and that is arranged between the emitters.
In the on-state of the component, the two emitters emit charge carriers of different types, i.e., p-type and n-type charge carriers, that form a charge carrier plasma. A large number of charge carriers in the base region, i.e., a high density of the charge carrier plasma, results in a low on-resistance of the component. However, a high plasma density in the on-state results in high switching losses when the component switches off. Further, a high plasma density in the on-state may reduce the robustness of the component.
There is therefore a need for a bipolar semiconductor component, such as an IGBT, a bipolar transistor, a diode or a thyristor, that has a low on-resistance in its on-state, and that has a low switching loss in the transition from the on-state into the off-state.